Last lord of the 3rd eye

[Rivaan's POV – The Walk Home]

The afternoon sun cast long shadows on the pavement as Rivaan walked home, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His mind churned with thoughts of Jilpa, replaying every moment of their conversation from earlier.

Rivaan (thinking): Demons? Spirits? Chains? What the hell is going on?

He stopped at the edge of a park, watching kids play on the swings and slides. The sight usually calmed him, but today, it only made his chest tighten.

Rivaan (thinking): This isn't some prank. I saw the scars. I saw the way he looked... and those glowing eyes. That wasn't normal.

He resumed walking, his pace quickening as his anxiety grew.

Rivaan (thinking): But what can I even do? I'm just... me. No chains, no powers, no nothing. If this is real, then he's dealing with something way bigger than either of us.

He passed by a bookstore and hesitated for a moment, staring at the dusty volumes in the window.

Rivaan (thinking): Maybe there's something I can learn. About spirits, demons, anything. If this is the kind of stuff Jilpa's dealing with, I need to understand it.

The bell above the door jingled as he stepped inside. The store was quiet, the air heavy with the scent of old paper and ink.

Shopkeeper (raising an eyebrow): Can I help you?

Rivaan: Uh, yeah. Do you have books on, like... myths? Folklore? That sort of thing?

The shopkeeper studied him for a moment before nodding.

Shopkeeper: Back corner, next to the philosophy section.

Rivaan made his way to the back, scanning the shelves until his fingers brushed against a leather-bound book titled The Spirit Realm and Its Inhabitants. He pulled it out and flipped through the pages, the text dense with illustrations of strange creatures and symbols.

Rivaan (thinking): This might be a start. At least I'll know what we're dealing with.

He bought the book and left the store, tucking it into his backpack as he headed home.

[At Home – A Quiet Resolve]

Rivaan dropped his bag in his room and sat on the edge of his bed, the book resting on his lap. He opened it to the first chapter, titled The Nature of Spirits.

Rivaan (thinking): If Jilpa's telling the truth—and I believe he is—then these things are real. And if they're real, that means there's got to be a way to fight them.

He spent hours reading, his determination growing with each page. The book described spirits as entities that thrived on fear and chaos, feeding off the emotions of their hosts. Some were harmless tricksters, while others were malevolent forces bent on destruction.

Rivaan (thinking): If Jilpa's dealing with spirits, then he's probably attracting the worst kind. But why him? Why now?

The text offered little in the way of solutions, but it hinted at ancient practices—rituals, symbols, and objects that could repel or trap spirits.

Rivaan (thinking): Slave Chain... is that one of these practices? Or is it something else entirely?

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Rivaan closed the book and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

Rivaan (thinking): I don't know how much help I can be, but I'm not letting Jilpa face this alone. Whatever's going on, we'll figure it out. Together. I ain't letting him deal wit this alone.

[Rivaan's POV – The Weekend Discovery]

The next morning, Rivaan was already out the door, his backpack slung over one shoulder as he headed back to the bookstore. The events of the previous day still swirled in his mind, but his determination to understand what was happening to Jilpa hadn't wavered.

The bell above the door jingled as he stepped inside, the familiar scent of old paper greeting him. The shopkeeper glanced up from his counter, giving Rivaan a knowing look.

Shopkeeper: Back again?

Rivaan: Yeah, just... looking for something more specific.

The shopkeeper shrugged, going back to his newspaper. Rivaan made his way to the back corner, scanning the shelves for anything that might shed more light on Jilpa's situation.

His eyes landed on a slim, black book tucked between larger volumes. The title caught his attention immediately: The Awakening of the Third Eye.

Rivaan (thinking): Third eye? Isn't that what Jilpa said he had?

He pulled the book out and flipped through its pages, his breath catching as he saw a chapter titled The Slave Chain: A Power of Balance.

Rivaan quickly skimmed the section, his heart pounding as the words leapt off the page:

"The Slave Chain is a once-in-a-millennium gift bestowed upon a single chosen soul. This power grants its wielder the ability to dominate lesser spirits and demons, binding them in servitude through ethereal chains. However, the power is neither light nor dark—it exists as a force of balance, designed to maintain harmony between realms."

Rivaan stared at the page, his mind racing.

Rivaan (thinking): A force of balance? That explains why Jilpa can't use it on stronger demons or angels. But why him? Why now?

He continued reading, his pulse quickening as he reached a section that described how the third eye could be awakened:

"The awakening of the third eye is rare, occurring only in those who have been exposed to immense spiritual energy or trauma. The awakened individual can perceive and interact with entities from the spiritual realm, but this gift comes at a cost—it attracts the attention of both benevolent and malevolent forces."

Rivaan frowned, flipping to the next page. It detailed an ancient ritual to forcibly awaken the third eye, complete with diagrams and symbols.

Rivaan (thinking): Jilpa didn't perform any ritual, so how did his eye awaken?

The thought unsettled him. He tucked the book under his arm and made his way to the counter.

Shopkeeper (raising an eyebrow): Find what you were looking for?

Rivaan (nodding): Yeah.

As he paid for the book, the shopkeeper leaned closer, his voice low.

Shopkeeper: Be careful with that one. It's not just stories, you know.

Rivaan hesitated, then nodded, taking the book and leaving the store.

[At Home – A Troubling Revelation]

Back in his room, Rivaan poured over the book, scribbling notes in a notebook as he read. The more he learned about the third eye and the Slave Chain, the more questions he had.

Rivaan (thinking): If this power is so rare, does that mean Jilpa is in even more danger than we thought? And if his third eye wasn't awakened through a ritual, then what triggered it?

He paused, his pen hovering over the page.

Rivaan (thinking): This isn't just about Jilpa anymore. If he's supposed to bring balance, then... what happens if he fails?

As the sun set outside, Rivaan leaned back in his chair, staring at the book.

Rivaan (thinking): I need to tell him about this. He deserves to know what he's dealing with.

Determined to share his findings with Jilpa, Rivaan closed the book and prepared himself for whatever might come next.

THANK YOU FOR READING

TO BE CONTINUED